NSW Waratahs collapse to another record defeat to ACT Brumbies

“That was a hard one to take,” NSW captain Alex Newsome said. “Just can’t make that many errors and expect to come close to the Brumbies.”

A 26-10 half-time deficit got even uglier and it is officially panic stations at the Waratahs if they are to revive a season that could not have started in worse fashion.

After last week’s injuries to captain Jake Gordon and Joey Walton, plus the suspension of Izaia Perese, the sight of one of the team’s only Wallabies representatives, Angus Bell, limping off the field late in the match with what appeared to be another ankle injury added salt to a gaping wound.

Few inside the Waratahs set-up could say with conviction they aren’t worried about being knocked off by the Western Force on Friday on home turf.

After conceding 14 tries in their first two outings, who knows how many Waratahs supporters will make their way to Bankwest Stadium next week to sit through a third flat performance.

Last week’s 41-7 defeat to the Reds could have been played off as first round rust but Saturday’s result has rammed home just how difficult 2021 is going to be for the boys in blue. Past and present figures at the club are under the microscope.

On another note, a struggling Waratahs team is certainly not appealing for broadcasters given the number of eyeballs in the Sydney market. Luckily, NSW don’t play on free-to-air for a month when they square off against the Reds again.

Whether it was No.10 Noah Lolesio taking the forwards’ glory and scoring a try off the back of a rolling maul, or some razzle-dazzle play out the back, the Brumbies could not have enjoyed this win more.

Big picture statistics paint a sobering picture of why this rivalry has lost a lot of its pizzazz.

One Waratahs win in the last six calendar years against the Brumbies is incredibly underwhelming.

The Brumbies machine continues to get stronger and the gap between the sides shows no signs of closing.

Dan McKellar’s team has not lost a match at home since the first round of 2019 and no wonder a strong crowd of 9322 packed into GIO Stadium to cheer on a team playing seriously entertaining rugby.

Nic White is quick and evasive with ball in hand, but when Mark Nawaqanitawase barely laid a hand on the Brumbies halfback as he weaved through off the back of a scrum, coach Rob Penney must have just shook his head.

A lack of cohesion was evident when, after winning a lineout, NSW centre Tepai Moeroa dropped Will Harrison’s pass cold, although it was admittedly a little behind him.

Then came the snowball effect: a Brumbies scrum penalty, an attempted rolling maul, before a few phases later Rob Valetini buried over close to the line in the eighth minute.

Harry Johnson-Holmes then dropped an easy pass but the red-haired prop made up for his error with a rare five-pointer close to the line from a pick and drive.

Loading

Moeroa did, however, present a different package to the man he replaced, Walton, by carrying the ball aggressively and bending the line when required.

The Waratahs had some players who did better than most, like Lachie Swinton, Newsome and Jack Maddocks, but they lacked accuracy and were caught chasing their tails.

This was easily the most excruciating match Penney has had to sit through during his time at NSW.

Halfback Jack Grant had a reasonable starting debut for NSW with solid service, despite a knock-on from a set play that was read beautifully in defence by Irae Simone.

Even with tired second half legs and the Waratahs trailing 33-10, Grant’s try-saving tackle on Simone close to the line won’t go unnoticed by a Waratahs coaching group growing more frustrated with others on the park.

But there are far more urgent concerns at NSW.